News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Baxter Board of Aldermen voted Thursday night to put speed bumps in Deer Crest subdivision Thursday.
Several citizens voiced their concerns about vehicles speeding through the neighborhood including Deer Crest resident Cynthia Hall.
“We have a huge, bad speeding issue, we’ve got to resolve it,” Hall said. “Our speed limit is 15 in there, we’ve caught people doing 50 miles per hour in our neighborhood. On normal they’re doing anywhere from 30 to 40 miles per hour and something needs to be done. Too many, too many children are going to end up dying.”
Mayor John Martin said he had heard several complaints about speeding on Celeste Drive and Rachelle Place even at business meetings. He said he agreed the area was a danger to citizens.
“I had people from your subdivision there,” Martin said. “We were back on the stage where they can ask all the questions, and it was brought up then. It’s a serious problem. This one gentleman has been in here three or four times and talked to us about it.”
Alderman Willie Allison made the motion to put speed bumps in the subdivision.
It was briefly discussed to close the end of Celeste Drive so you can no longer pull out onto Magnolia from the subdivision. Building & Codes Official Bob Lane pointed out that fire codes require two entrances be available to a street.
Allison said he was determined to find a solution, but he said he hoped the speed bumps do not create a new problem.
“Let me tell you all this okay, I’m making this motion,” Allison said. “We’re going to put these speed bumps out there, and we’re going to put as many as we need to to slow these cars down, but please tell your neighbors, please don’t come up here and start griping at us because everyone is bouncing around.”
The board voted to place plastic speed bumps that screw into the asphalt in the subdivision. Alderman Greg Philips was the only member of the board to vote no.
